This invention is generally directed to line protectors for a communication circuit, and specifically relates to a novel line protector having a biasing member slidable along a ground member to form at least a portion of a conductive path thereto.
A line protector, such as a plug-in type line protector, is often used between an outside communication line and inside equipment such as, for example, central office switching equipment. The line protector is designed to protect the inside equipment from fault conditions, such as unwanted surge voltages and currents, on the outside communication line. Such fault conditions may result from lightening strikes or power line faults. The typical plug-in type line protector is comprised of several components, many of which are metallic, disposed within a housing snapped into engagement with a base. To assemble the line protector before installing the line protector between an outside communication line and inside equipment, the several components are normally "blindly" loaded into the housing, and then the housing is snapped onto the base. Because the components are loaded into the housing in this manner, it is relatively difficult to assemble the line protector before installing it between the outside communication line and inside equipment.
The base of the typical plug-in type line protector has several pins mounted thereon. At least one of the pins mounted on the base is for receiving current from the outside communication line while another is for forwarding the received current to the equipment. Additionally, a ground pin is typically mounted on the base, and the ground pin provides that, should a fault condition occur, the current received by the line protector is grounded and, as a result, is not forwarded to the equipment. To this end, the typical line protector is designed to provide that one or more components within the housing shift upon the occurrence of a fault condition. The shifting provides that the incoming current is grounded within the line protector. Unfortunately, this shifting of components within the line protector often results in unstable contact resistance to ,ground. For example, oxides may build up within the line protector over time, and the oxides may affect the contact resistance. As a result of poor contact resistance, the line protector will generate excessive heat upon the occurrence of a fault condition. Even worse, the presence of oxides within the line protector may cause arcing within the line protector, thereby allowing the excessive current to proceed past the line protector to the equipment.
As mentioned, several of the components within the housing of the typical line protector are metallic. Most line protectors provide that, upon the occurrence of a fault condition, most of the metallic components within the housing remain within the circuit from the incoming line to ground. As a result, excessive heat is generated within the line protector during the occurrence of a fault condition. However, it is desirable to minimize the amount of heat generated within a line protector during the occurrence of a fault condition.
The present invention is directed to eliminate the above-discussed problems which have been encountered heretofore.